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Melugin: FTC suit vs. Amazon’s Prime bad use of limited resources

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:19 GMT

The Federal Trade Commission is suing Amazon for allegedly tricking customers into signing up for the company’s Prime membership and making it difficult to cancel that subscription service, providing expedited free shipping and access to its streaming entertainment service. You’re right if this strikes you as an odd fight for the FTC to pick.Prime has  148.6 million members. Amazon is among the highest-rated companies for favorability and trustworthiness, according to multiple polls. Last year, JPMorgan estimated the actual value of the $14.99 monthly, or $139 annual Prime subscription, is as much as $1,000. Even at the apex of stress on the company, while most of America was stuck at home for fear of COVID-19, customer dissatisfaction was still low and mostly stemmed from shipping delays.The FTC’s specific accusations against the world’s largest online retailer are no less strange. In court documents, the agency claims that Amazon “has knowingly duped millions of consumers into unk...

Sweet Arianna loves ballet and circus arts

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:19 GMT

Arianna is a sweet and likable girl. Arianna likes to dance; she especially loves ballet and participates in ballet recitals every year. She also loves to participate in circus arts. Arianna enjoys reading, and has expressed interest in being an ABA Therapist in the future.Arianna is in high school and is thriving with the support of an IEP to meet her academics and social/emotional needs. She does very well with her peers and is able to build and maintain healthy relationships. Arianna flourishes from the encouragement and support of her teachers and caretakers.Arianna would thrive in a family of any constellation, either with or without other children in the home, which is able to provide her with a stable and consistent environment. An ideal family for Arianna will be able to continue the services she has in place to address her academic and social/emotional needs.Can I Adopt?If you’re at least 18 years old, have a stable source of income, and room in your heart, you may be a per...

Editorial: Inflation Reduction Act will add billions to the deficit

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:19 GMT

Massive government spending programs typically cost more than projected. At some point, one might even call it a pattern.The latest example is the ill-named Inflation Reduction Act, which Democrats rammed through last August. The main thrust of the legislation was to push a radical green agenda. It included consumer tax credits for electric vehicles and roof-top solar. The bill gave corporations access to hundreds of billions in tax credits for clean energy projects. It also provided the U.S. Department of Energy $12 billion to craft a new loan program for replacing and upgrading energy infrastructure.Democrats wanted to convince the public that massive subsidies for otherwise unattractive renewable energy projects would reduce the nation’s debt. The bill also boosted funding for the IRS. In theory, increased enforcement would increase tax collections. That was supposed to net the government $130 billion over 10 years. The legislation raised corporate taxes by more than $200 billion...

Dear Abby: White husband buys copy of Green Book, offends wife

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:19 GMT

Dear Abby: I am a Hispanic-American woman who has been married to my husband for three years. He was born and raised in North Carolina. He’s a wonderful person. We both share a passion for antiques, and we love researching and learning about the past. My husband is white, and he grew up in times of segregation. He feels comfortable sharing and showing stuff from that time.A year ago, we watched the movie “Green Book” about the travel guide published from 1936 to 1966 for African American travelers to use when discrimination was widespread. After that, he became obsessed about buying a copy of an actual Green Book and, regardless of my concerns, he did.We recently bought a Victorian house built in 1900 and have been excited about renovating it and keeping it as close as possible to the original style. We have also enjoyed buying antique furniture to recreate that time in our home.My husband bought an old wall phone and hung the Green Book on it. I expressed to him h...

Cesarina team to open traditional Roman pizzeria in Ocean Beach

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:19 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- While its in Rome that you "do as the Romans do," a new restaurant opening this summer is looking to bring a taste of the eateries in Italy's bustling capital to Ocean Beach.The ex-pats behind one of the city's most popular Italian spots, Cesarina, will be opening the new restaurant later this summer. Called "Elvira," the osteria and pizzeria will center authentic Roman cuisine, rooted in simplicity and family tradition.Elvira will take over the vacant venue on 4996 Point Loma Boulevard that once housed the eatery, BO-beau kitchen + bar -- remedying an absence felt in the neighborhood since the café closed during the pandemic. This Hillcrest bar is one of the last of its kind Centered in the culinary traditions of the "Eternal City," the restaurant group -- consisting of married couple, chef Cesarina Mezzoni and Niccolò Angius, and friend Giuseppe Capasso -- promises an "ode to cucina Romana" with the spot's renovation that emulates the old-world charm of the city's f...

Israel’s air force attacks Syria and Syrian air defense missile explodes over northern Israel

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:19 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — Israel carried out airstrikes on areas near the central Syrian city of Homs early Sunday causing material damage but no casualties, the Syrian military said in a statement.Syrian state media quoted an unnamed military official as saying the air defenses shot down some of the missiles fired by Israeli warplanes flying over neighboring Lebanon. Israeli authorities did not comment on the airstrike on Homs but said one of the Syrian air defense missiles exploded over northern Israel without causing any damage.Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee later said that Israel’s military retaliated for the firing of the air defense missile that exploded over the country’s north by attacking Syrian air defense batteries from where the missile was fired.“The warplanes also attacked other targets in the area,” Adraee tweeted without elaborating. Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment next door, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-con...

Lotto 649 winning numbers for Saturday, July 1, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:19 GMT

TORONTO — The winning numbers in Saturday’s Lotto 649 draw for an estimated $5 million: 10, 21, 30, 32, 35 & 49.Bonus: 41The winning number for the guaranteed $1 million: 06142226-01In the event of any discrepancy between this list and the official winning numbers, the latter shall prevail. The Canadian Press

Transgender woman challenges societal norms by applying to compete in Miss Venezuela pageant

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:19 GMT

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuelan’s enthusiasm for beauty pageants is unparalleled, and Miss Venezuela — the crown jewel of them all — may be the only event able to unite the deeply divided country. Once a year, class, race and politics are put aside as the South American nation tunes in to see who will represent Venezuela on the global stage.Behind the cheers and claps for the women vying for the coveted title is a deeply conservative society with little to no tolerance for any defiance of heteronormative standards. Sofia Salomón is ready to challenge that.The influencer and Instagram model has applied to take part in this year’s Miss Venezuela contest. If accepted, she will be the first transgender woman to participate. “I think it is a great platform to bring visibility to my community, echo the positive things, and show people the reality of transgender women,” Salomón said.With no end in sight for the protracted crisis that has pushed millions of Venezuelans into poverty and...

After fall of Roe, emboldened religious conservatives lobby to restrict abortion in Africa

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:19 GMT

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Nowhere in the world has a higher rate of unsafe abortions or unintended pregnancies than sub-Saharan Africa, where women often face scorn for becoming pregnant before marriage.Efforts to legalize and make abortions safer in Africa were shaken when the U.S. Supreme Court ended the national right to an abortion a year ago. Within days, Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio declared that his government would decriminalize abortion “at a time when sexual and reproductive health rights for women are being either overturned or threatened.”But some U.S.-based organizations active in Africa were emboldened, especially in largely Christian countries. One is Family Watch International, a nonprofit Christian conservative organization whose anti-LGBTQ+ stance, anti-abortion activities and “intense focus on Africa” led to its designation as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.In April, Family Watch International helped to develop a “family values and sovereig...

Cardinals split doubleheader with Yankees after several weather delays

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:01:19 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Harrison Bader had a first-inning sacrifice fly in his return to St. Louis, rookie Anthony Volpe hit a go-ahead triple as part of his fifth straight multihit game and the New York Yankees beat the Cardinals 6-2 Saturday night for a doubleheader split.St. Louis won the rain-interrupted opener 11-4 behind Paul Goldschmidt's go-ahead, three-run homer off Luis Severino in a five-run third. Jack Flaherty pitched six shutout innings, Goldschmidt had four RBIs and Nolan Gorman also homered for the Cardinals, who reached double-digit runs for the first time since May 21.Volpe has raised his average from .193 to .220 in his last six games. Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three hits in the second game as the Yankees won for the fifth time in their last seven.Lars Nootbaar homered for St. Louis, which fell to a 34-48, its worst 82-game start since 1990 Nootbar hit a first-inning homer off opener Ian Hamilton as the Yankees went with a bullpen game because of Friday's rainout.Michael Ki...